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Stith Thompson Motif Index
About this index and how to read it
Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature classifies recurring narrative elements in folktales, myths, legends, ballads and related traditional narratives. Each entry below gives Thompson's motif reference and the description recorded in the index.
The index is large, so this browser displays 250 entries per page. You can search by motif reference or by words in the description, restrict the results to one of Thompson's main letter categories, and click motif references mentioned inside descriptions to follow cross-references. Individual motif pages also show any ATU tale types whose concordance explicitly cites that Thompson reference.
All
A
Mythological Motifs
B
Animal Motifs
C
Motifs of Tabu
D
Magic
E
The Dead
F
Marvels
G
Ogres
H
Tests
J
The Wise and the Foolish
K
Deceptions
L
Reversals of Fortune
M
Ordaining the Future
N
Chance and Fate
P
Society
Q
Rewards and Punishments
R
Captives and Fugitives
S
Unnatural Cruelty
T
Sex
U
The Nature of Life
V
Religion
W
Traits of Character
X
Humor
Z
Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs
| Thompson reference ▲ | Description |
|---|---|
| J1172.4 | Turtle released by man to carry him across stream. Threatens him midway. Fox to be judge. Feigns deafness and makes turtle come so near shore man jumps and saves self. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1173 | Series of clever unjust decisions: plaintiff voluntarily withdraws. (1) Man pulls off borrowed horse's tail: he shall keep horse till tail grows on. (2) Man falls out of bed and kills a baby (or causes a miscarriage): he shall beget a new baby for the mother. (3) Man falls from a bridge and kills boatsman's son: shall allow boatsman to fall from bridge and kill him *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 234 No. 515; *Köhler-Bolte II 578; Penzer VI 83f.; *Feilberg Danske Studier (1920) 2ff.; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 131 No. 1535A*; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1173.1 | Novel settlement of dispute. Judge orders woman's second husband to return her to the first in the same condition as he received her (with child). Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1173.1.1 | Novel settlement: snake's wife must wait to kill prince till princess bears as many sons as snake has. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1174 | Clever decisions concerning kissing and rape. |
| J1174.1 | Youth in court for kissing prince's daughter pleads his love for her. Prince allows plea: "If we kill those who love us, what shall we do to those who hate us?" Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 120, 733; Alphabet No. 60; Mensa Philosophica No. 16; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 20; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1174.2 | Complaint about the stolen kiss. Woman is allowed to take one in return. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 254 No. 173. |
| J1174.2.1 | Man breaks promise to sleep chastely with woman. Decision: deceived fiance is to sleep with seducer's wife, if he ever marries. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1174.3 | The girl screams when she is robbed. Accuses young man of raping her. When he tries to rob her of money she summons help. Decision: if she had shouted as loud before, the man could not have raped her. Youth acquitted. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 15; Herbert III 21; *Crane Vitry 242 No. 255. |
| J1174.4 | Girls must pay for young man's virginity. Girls repulsed by man climb in his window at night. Become pregnant and demand marriage. Branded as prostitutes and must pay the man. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 17. |
| J1174.5 | Man's torn garment as proof of his innocence of rape. If he were the assaulter, the torn garment would be woman's. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J1175 | Judgments concerning arson. |
| J1175.1 | The cat in the warehouse. One of four companions is left in a warehouse to care for a cat which has a broken leg. Cat scratches self near flame and sets warehouse afire. The three must pay the one left behind. Broken leg could not walk and it was the three legs belonging to the three traders which caused the fire. *Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 72; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1175.2 | Intentional and accidental fire. Rich man wishing to get rid of a neighbor's tree sets it afire. Neighbor's house catches and burns. Must pay four times value of tree since fire is intentional, but only actual value of house, since that fire was accidental. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 625. |
| J1176 | Decisions based on experimental tests. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J1176.1 | Pouring water into the inkwell. Soldier accused of stealing slavegirl from author. Girl told to pour water into an inkwell. She does it so skillfully that she must have learned it from the author. *Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 72. |
| J1176.2 | Measuring the dregs. Some full and some half-full wine casks left with man by neighbor, who accuses him of theft. Fraud of accusation detected by measuring the dregs. Oesterley No. 246; Herbert III 237; Ward ibid. II 239; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 45; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1176.3 | Gold pieces in the honey-pot. Woman leaves honey-pot with neighbor to guard. It has gold below the honey. Neighbor steals the gold and substitutes honey. Theft proved by gold pieces sticking to sides of pot. (Cf. J1192.2.) Alphabet No. 261; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 58ff., 300f., *Neuman. |
| J1176.4 | A two-headed man is only one man. Two-headed man claims double inheritance. Hot water poured over one head. Other head cries out with pain. He is declared to be one man and to merit only one share. Jewish: Gaster Exempla 206 No. 113, bin Gorion Born Judas III 73, 302, *Neuman. |
| J1176.5 | True husband of woman determined by assigning superhuman task. Thus god masking as husband is discovered. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 247b; Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XVI 139. |
| J1177 | Story told to discover thief. Judge tells story of the lady, her husband, her lover, and the robbers (H1552.1). Which was the most generous? Witness says that robber was. This shows that he has robber's point of view. *Type 976; Jewish: Gaster Exempla 206 No. 111, bin Gorion Born Judas III 97, 303; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1177.0.1 | None should interrupt or leave the room while story is told: treachery revealed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1177.1 | Story told to discover thief: sundry tales. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1179 | Clever judicial decisions — miscellaneous. Africa (Angola): Chatelain Nos. 10, 42, 49. |
| J1179.1 | Damages for the field devastated by a flock. David says pay money damages. Solomon says let laborers have flock till milk and wool have paid the damages. *Chauvin VIII 99 No. 71; Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1179.2 | The hog belongs to whichever place he goes of his own accord. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 121. |
| J1179.3 | The short blanket must be patched. Weaver makes blanket shorter than ordered. Weaver ordered to add a piece to the blanket and then to receive full price. Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft 110, 256. |
| J1179.4 | Robber innocent because he is merely following traditions of his ancestors. Wesselski Bebel II 111 No. 39. |
| J1179.5 | Servants would not have left the coats. Merchants complain to nobleman that his servants have robbed them of money. Nobleman asks whether merchants had on those good coats when the robbery took place. When told yes, he said that the robbers were not his servants, for they would never have left good coats. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 490; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1179.6 | Thread awarded to disputant who knows what it was wound on. Zachariae Kleine Schriften 84; Alphabet No. 533. |
| J1179.7 | Stolen necklace does not have same scent as defendant uses. Zachariae Kleine Schriften 57. |
| J1179.8 | Tenant advised by landlord to steal in order to pay his taxes acquitted. Bolte Montanus' Gartengesellschaft 610 No. 67. |
| J1179.9 | The judge pays fine himself. Tires of the bickering of two men over a trifling sum. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Spanish: Childers. |
| J1179.10 | Enoch Arden decision. Man believing wife dead becomes a priest. Later finds her alive. Pope's decision: he may remain both a priest and husband but must not consort with any other woman. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 42; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1179.11 | Those who furnish equal number of animals for plow share equally in crop (in spite of amount of work done by each). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1179.12 | Actual rescuer gets woman. Watchers could never have got her merely by watching. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1179.13 | Cardinal's clever decision: that the monks who arise earliest may sound matins. There had been a great argument over this privilege. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1179.14 | Eye of king's foster-son damaged by sting of bee. Boy's friends demand eye of king's son in forfeit; king decrees instead destruction of swarm of bees so that guilty one may perish. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1180 | Clever means of avoiding legal punishment. |
| J1181 | Execution escaped by use of special permissions granted the condemned. |
| J1181.0.1 | Execution: man induced to kill self. King may not execute Brahmin, but gets him drunk and brings about his death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1181.1 | Execution evaded by using three wishes. King ordains that guest who turns his plate shall be executed, but orders that anyone so condemned shall have three wishes granted. One of the wishes: to have all blinded who saw him turn the plate. He is freed. *Wesselski Märchen des Mittelalters 230 No. 40; Herbert III 197; Oesterley No. 194. |
| J1181.2 | Execution evaded by having three wishes granted: to be emperor, judge and the emperor's son-in-law during the last week of his life. As judge he frees himself and is in reality freed. Köhler-Bolte II 651—57; Zs. f. Vksk. XV 222; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J1181.3 | Condemned man wins pardon by clever remark. Fool is allowed to jump off cliff (balcony) as punishment. Master expresses surprise that in three trials he has failed to hurl himself from the height. The jester offers the prince four trials. Amused prince pardons the jester. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1182 | Punishment escaped by discomfiting condemner. |
| J1182.1 | To be beaten by deceiver of husband. Lady has her women ready to give a trickster a beating. He is allowed to make one request. The one who has most often deceived her husband shall strike first. *Wesselski Gonnella 121 No. 16; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1183 | Execution escaped by invoking laws of hospitality. |
| J1183.1 | Prisoner has drunk water furnished by the king and thus becomes king's guest. Spared. *Chauvin VI 72 No. 238. |
| J1184 | No second punishment for same offense. |
| J1184.1 | Adulteress hurled from high rock escapes injury: she may not be punished again. Herbert III 211; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 3. |
| J1184.2 | Ears not to be cut off a second time. Executioner discovers that the prisoner's ears are of stucco, having been clipped for a previous offense. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1185 | Execution escaped by story-telling. Cf. Browning's "Balaustion's Adventure." |
| J1185.1 | Scheherazade: story with indefinite sequels told to stave off execution. *Chauvin V 190 No. 111. |
| J1189 | Clever means of avoiding legal punishment—miscellaneous. |
| J1189.1 | Youth will answer question only when king places him on throne: then youth calls executioners to punish cruel king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1189.2 | Execution escaped by threatening with malediction. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| J1189.3 | King substitutes for condemned man when he is told that whoever is executed that day is destined to become king in his next birth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1190 | Cleverness in the lawcourt—miscellaneous. |
| J1191 | Reductio ad absurdum of judgment. *Chauvin VI 63, 231; *Zachariae Zs f. Vksk. XXX—XXXII 50 n. 2; *Wesselski Arlotto II 215 No. 73; India: Thompson-Balys; Oceanic: *Dixon 199 n. 37; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 197 No. 26. |
| J1191.1 | Reductio ad absurdum: the decision about the colt. A man ties his mare to a second man's wagon. The mare bears a colt which the wagon-owner claims, saying that the wagon has borne a colt. Real owner of the colt shows the absurdity (1) by fishing in the street or (2) by telling that his wife is shooting fish in the garden. Neither of these things are so absurd as the decision. *Type 875; **DeVries FFC LXXIII; India: *Thompson-Balys; Köhler-Bolte I 460; *BP II 349ff., 371; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 212 No. 434; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.1.1 | "The sea is on fire"—not more absurd than the decision about the colt. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.2 | Suit for chickens produced from boiled eggs. Countertask: harvesting crop produced from cooked seeds. *DeVries FFC LXXIII 244; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J1191.3 | The funeral for the ineligible husband. A king awards a young woman to a gardener, who is already married. The young woman performs a funeral ceremony for him. The king is pleased with the jest and takes her into the harem. Chauvin V 245 No. 146. |
| J1191.4 | To return the dead elephant alive. Hired elephant dies. Owner demands the live elephant. The god causes the elephant's owner to break pots of the other. Is unable to make specific restitution. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.5 | Reductio ad absurdum of accusation: object-birth slander. (Later children tell toy animals to drink. No harder than for woman to bear objects.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.5.1 | Impossible to eat pearls: also impossible for woman to bear animals (objects). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.6 | Plaintiff in court beats thief since he had not warned him ahead of time to have witnesses to robbery. Judge has refused to inquire for lack of witnesses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191.7 | Rice pot on pole, fire far away. As easy to cook rice thus as to warm a man at a distance from a lamp on a balcony. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1192 | The bribed judge. *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 38; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1192.1 | Judge awards decision to the greater bribe. *DeVries FFC LXXIII 263; Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 125, 128, 852, 853; Scala Celi 20a No. 122; England: Baughman; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1192.1.1 | Buffalo has eaten up turban. Judge decides for greater bribe. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1192.1.2 | Judge favors poor defendant so he may obtain money from rich without begging. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1192.2 | Error was in the honey. Trickster takes jar filled with earth but with honey on top as bribe to the judge. He takes the decision in writing. Cheat is discovered and judge sends message that an error has been made. Reply: the decision was right; the error is in the honey. (Cf. J1176.3.) *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 252 No. 170. |
| J1192.3 | The bribed judge's ancestors. Clever animal says in court that she drops dung on ancestors of judges who take bribes (unless they confess). Judges confess. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1193 | Clever interpretation of judge's statement. |
| J1193.1 | Killing the fly on the judge's nose. The judge has told the boy that he should kill a fly wherever he sees one. Type 1586; *BP I 519; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 271 No. 280; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 673; Fansler MAFLS XII 390, 435; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII 69 No. 4. |
| J1193.2 | The value of a blow. A judge awards damages of a penny against a friend of his for giving a blow. The defendant goes to get the money and is gone long. Meanwhile the plaintiff gives the judge a blow and tells him to use the penny as damages. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 254 No. 172; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 718; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1193.2.1 | The Court keeps the change. Man is fined half-ducat. Judge has no change. Defendant strikes judge for the change. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1195 | Judge frightened into awarding decision. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1197 | Judge finds offense is not great when it is his own son who is guilty. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1198 | Pardon in return for confession. |
| J1198.1 | King promises thieves pardon for confession: pleased with their cleverness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1210 | Clever man puts another out of countenance. |
| J1211 | Putting out of countenance by telling evil stories. |
| J1211.1 | Peasant preaches about bishop's amour. Bishop has instructed him to tell the truth and spare no one when he preaches. *Type 1825A; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 711. |
| J1211.1.1 | Priest preaches about bishop's amour. Bishop has fined priest for incontinence. Priest hides and witnesses amorous intrigue between bishop and abbess, hearing bishop refer to the abbess's charms in biblical similes. Priest incorporates overheard references in his introduction to the Mass and is asked for an explanation. Bishop returns his fine. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1211.2 | Clever thief may keep booty. He has seen his victim in a disgraceful position and is allowed the booty as a price for his silence. *Köhler-Bolte II 594; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 263 No. 236; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1211.2.1 | The drunken officer's stolen mantle. Thief confronted by the officer tells all the circumstances of the drunkenness (with many shameful additions). The officer denies the ownership. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 239 No. 120. |
| J1211.3 | Courtier having observed king's amour shields him and gains pardon. Answers in clever proverbs when called on to say what he has seen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1212 | Judge put out of countenance. |
| J1212.1 | The doubly-bribed judge. One of the disputants keeps the hens he is to give the judge in his hand and when the decision begins to go against him makes the hens cry out. *Wesselski Arlotto I 208 No. 48. |
| J1213 | Thief exposes owner's unjust claim. |
| J1213.1 | Complaint about the stolen ox. A thief steals a calf and keeps the hide. The owner makes a hue and cry about a stolen ox. The thief produces the calfhide: "You thief, to demand an ox for a calf!" Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 209 No. 16, cf. 254 No. 177. |
| J1214 | Absurd pretence, when allowed, puts pretender out of countenance. |
| J1214.1 | Claim that dog-head captured game. Two hunters, one with dog and other with dog-head, dispute. The claim that the dog-head captured the game is allowed and then the alarm is raised that the owner of the, game is coming to punish the theft. Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 243 No. 19. |
| J1216 | Cheater put out of countenance by raising alarm. Wine seller carries water into his cellar. Man raises alarm pretending that he thought the house must be afire. Wesselski Bebel II 109 No. 31. |
| J1217 | Worldly man puts religious man out of countenance. |
| J1217.1 | One dueller fights with God's help; the other with his brother's. First claims that the odds are unfair; second agrees that he will fight without his brother if the first will fight without God. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 312. |
| J1217.2 | Simple holy man puts philosopher out of countenance when he says to him that wisdom came before learning. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1218 | Thirty years old for twelve years. Man claims to be thirty; has been doing so for the last twelve years. Spanish, Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1221 | Old man in love with young woman puts his critics out of countenance. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1223 | Rebuke for telling a poor and long-winded story. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1224 | Poet puts others out of countenance. |
| J1224.1 | Poet is importuned by admirers. Vaults away from them saying: "You may tell me anything you wish—in your own homes! Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1224.2 | Poet (Dante) puts ruler out of countenance. Ruler had instructed jesters to tease him. The poet cleverly answers his questioners pretending to have the impression that the questions are addressed to the ruler. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1241 | Clever dividing which favors the divider. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; West Indies: Flowers 481. |
| J1241.1 | Dividing two sheep and a ram: trickster to divide with two friends. You two take one sheep; the ram and I will take the other. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 202 No. 399. |
| J1241.2 | Dividing four coins among three persons. Two coins apiece given to two; other is to wait till two more coins are found. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 181 No. 339. |
| J1241.3 | Dividing three fish among two men. Fools submit problem to trickster who solves problem by taking third fish himself. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 259. |
| J1241.4 | Division of the fat and lean fowls. Two fat fowls and one lean one at meal. Hero is lean, his two hosts fat. He is to divide. One lean fowl for the two fat people; two fat fowls for the one lean man. *Wesselski Märchen 229 No. 40. |
| J1241.5 | Dividing the eggs: one man's hand in the pot at a time. Trickster alternates hands so fast that the other man never gets to put his hand in. He finally puts his foot in the pan. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1242 | Dividing by scripture quoting. |
| J1242.1 | Hog's head divided according to scripture. To be divided among three students according to their skill in quoting. First: "And they cut one ear off" (takes ear). Second: "And they gave him a box on the ear" (takes other ear). Third: "And they took him away secretly" (takes whole hog away). BP II 361. |
| J1242.2 | Three men divide a large fish by quoting scripture. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1243 | Inherited gold ring divided between three by selling it and dividing the money. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J1249 | Clever dividing—miscellaneous. |
| J1249.1 | Dividing five eggs equally between two men and one woman. Three to the woman and one each to the men. Men already have two (testicles). *Fischer-Bolte 207. J1250—J1499. |
| J1250 | Clever verbal retorts—general. Boccaccio Decameron Day 6 (Lee 176ff.); Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1251 | Baffling malice with ready answers. English: Child I 20—22, 485, III 496, IV 440. |
| J1251.1 | Humiliated lover in repartee with disdainful mistress. (Cf. K1225.1, K1326.1.) Nouvelles Récréations No. 64. |
| J1252 | Quibbling answers. E.g., Where are you going?—Forward. Where are you going to cut the tree?—At the foot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1254 | Evading a direct answer which may trap one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1255 | Answering only "yes" and "no". India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1260 | Repartee based on church or clergy. |
| J1261 | Repartee based on levity toward sacred persons and things. |
| J1261.1 | Levity toward name of God. |
| J1261.1.1 | God as a father-in-law. Nuns tell a man that they are daughters of God. "Come and marry me; I should like such a rich father-in-law." Wesselski Bebel II 120 No. 60. |
| J1261.1.2 | Why God has few friends. Priest consoles sick man by saying that God chastens those whom he loves. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 778. |
| J1261.1.3 | Man barks his shins on dark night. "By the great bugaboo! If I was the Almighty and had a moon, I'd hang it out on a night like this." U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1261.1.4 | Farmer looks at his hay on ground after a rain: "If I was a God, I'd be a God and not a damned fool!" U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1261.1.5 | Woman causes disturbance in church, is carried out forcibly. She remarks. "Well I am more favored than my Lord. He had but one ass to ride, while I have two." U.S.: *Baughman. |
| J1261.2 | Disrespect for the sacrament. (Cf. J1269.5.) |
| J1261.2.1 | The sacrament for sale. Sick woman calls the parson but recovers meanwhile He insists on her taking the sacrament and charges for it. "Set it here on the table; perhaps I can sell it again." *Wesselski Bebel II 110 No. 36. |
| J1261.2.2 | Distrusts God when he can be brought by a man. Priest offers to help peasant with "the body of the Lord". — "If God can be brought by a man, he is too weak to help me." Frey (ed. Bolte) *219 No. 10. |
| J1261.2.3 | Priest may eat communion supper. Thief about to be hanged is told that if he truly repents he will eat Lord's Supper in heaven. "If that is true, won't you eat the supper for me; I'll reward you well." *Wesselski Bebel I 186 No. 42. |
| J1261.2.4 | Sacrament too precious to be bought. If that were so, says the apprentice, no one would have given it to you or me. *Wesselski Bebel I 124 No. 12. |
| J1261.2.5 | Dante is accused of not kneeling before sacrament. Says that he had his mind on God and did not remember what his body did. If those who criticized him had had their minds on God they would not have noticed it. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.2.6 | Priest bringing Host to dying man sees thief on his fig tree. Shouts vituperations at him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.2.7 | Priest throws Chalice at owl. Says that he thought that the owl had stolen the Host. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.2.8 | Priest carries the Host across a dangerous stream. Spectators tell him to thank God for not drowning. "I helped Him across!" Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.3 | Will lunch with Christ. Priest tells condemned man after confession that he will dine with Christ that evening. Mule that carries him to scaffold goes very fast and criminal says, "At this rate I shall lunch with Christ." Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 150 No. 1855*. |
| J1261.4 | Blessing not worth a penny. Beggar woman asks pope for shilling and, being refused, for a penny. Finally asks for his blessing, which he gives. Old woman: "If your blessing had been worth a penny, you wouldn't have given me that." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 344. |
| J1261.5 | Will spend the funeral money now. King asks how much his funeral will cost. "Give me the three hundred ducats now and when I am dead throw me into the Tiber." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 187. |
| J1261.6 | Priest may use his own mother's mass money. At his mother's funeral a boy takes the money laid on the altar for masses. When the priest objects, the boy says, "When your mother dies you may take the money too." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 703. |
| J1261.7 | Judgment Day a long way off. Thief told by monk that he must return stolen cloth on Judgment Day "If I have so long a period of grace, I should like to take the whole monastery." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 783; Irish: Beal XXI 327, O'Suilleabhain 76; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.8 | Monk's cordon cannot stand the strain. Franciscan claims that his cordon will save him from Hell. Benedictine answers that he once had a dream in which he saw St. Francis throw his cordon to save members of his order in Purgatory and so many clung to it that it snapped. (Cf. Q291.1.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.9 | "Better a live confessor than a dead martyr." So answers a preacher when asked whether he preferred to stay at home and confess his flock or go to war against the infidels. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1261.10 | How does goddess with thousand faces blow her noses? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1262 | Repartee based on doctrinal discussions. |
| J1262.1 | Earthen cups replaced by golden. Emperor: "God is a thief; he threw Adam into a sleep and then stole a rib from him." Emperor's daughter: "Would you call a man a thief who stole two earthen cups from you and replaced them by golden ones?" Jewish: Gaster Exempla 196 No. 55, *Neuman. |
| J1262.2 | God in the puddle. A Jew objects to the doctrine that God could exist in the Virgin Mary. A disputant asks if he believes God is everywhere; then if God is in a mud puddle. The Jew agrees. The disputant condemns the Jew for believing that God could exist in a puddle and not in a pure virgin. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 154. |
| J1262.3 | Acting according to the note. A Jew slaps a Christian and tells him to turn the other cheek. The Christian beats the Jew, who says, "You do not act according to your Gospel."—"I am acting in accordance with the note."—"The note is worse than the text." *Wesselski Bebel II 118 No. 56. |
| J1262.4 | Levity regarding biblical passages. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1262.4.1 | Levity regarding the paternoster. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1262.5 | Parishioner hears preacher say that alms are returned "100 to 1". Chops down crucifix and takes money from box. Is told that such return would take place in other world. "I won't need money then, but I can use it now." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1262.5.1 | Whoever gives alms in God's name will receive tenfold: preacher's wife gives sweetmeats away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1262.6 | "You don't blame a toolmaker for making all manner of tools, both harmful and helpful, so why blame God for making bad beasts as well as good ones?" Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1262.7 | Repartee: "If you can't see the soul in the living man, how can you expect to see it in the dead?" retorts wise man to atheist. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1262.8 | Skeleton has all his ribs. Indian examines skeleton of man at museum, finds there is no rib missing, concludes that ministers have deceived him in telling him the story of Adam. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1262.9 | Three true faiths. Ruler trying to confiscate Jew's money asks him which is the true faith. "There are three, the one which the Lord knows is right and the two his children think are right." (Cf. H659.5.1, J462.3.1.) Italian Novella: Rotunda (J462.3.1.2). |
| J1263 | Repartee concerning clerical abuses. |
| J1263.1 | Repartee based on clerical ignorance. |
| J1263.1.1 | Why ignorant priests are favored. They can always find patrons as ignorant as they are. *Wesselski Bebel II 100 No. 4. |
| J1263.1.2 | Consecration of the ignorant priest. A bishop disgusted with priest's ignorance says, "Who consecrated you as priest?" — "You did, the time I gave you ten florins." Wesselski Bebel I 221 No 114. |
| J1263.1.3 | Priest who never reads mass. Peasants complain of his ignorance. He says that they stand so close to him that he is afraid they might memorize and then pay no attention to his reading of it. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 773. |
| J1263.1.3.1 | Rushing through the mass. Two priests apply for the position of chaplain and argue as to which one can say the mass more quickly. One clinches the argument saying: "You could not say it more quickly than I because I don't read half of it!" Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1263.1.4 | Christ's disciples did not pass the examination. Ignorant student unable to pass his examination thus consoles himself. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 856. |
| J1263.2 | Repartee concerning clerical venality. (Cf. J1192, J1263.1.2.) |
| J1263.2.1 | Price of consecration. Bishop is paid 100 ova (eggs) instead of 100 oves (sheep) for consecrating man as priest. To bishop's protests the man answers, "You should have refused to consecrate me. If I had been worthy I should not have had to promise oves or ova." *Wesselski Bebel I 221 No. 115. |
| J1263.2.2 | Rich man shakes ducats into pope's lap. Pope says, "Who could withstand such an armored army?" and decides for the rich man. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 346. |
| J1263.2.3 | Priest refuses small bribe: only for large sum will he sell himself to devil. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No 547. |
| J1263.3 | Christians have a merciful God. Jew so decides when he thinks of the scandalous life of the court of Rome. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 777; Boccaccio Decameron I No. 2 (Lee 2); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1263.4 | Repartee concerning clerical luxury. |
| J1263.4.1 | The abbot's luxury and the cardinal's. Cardinal rebukes abbot for living in luxury beyond that of the founder of his order. Abbot asks cardinal if the cardinals of St. Peter traveled in the luxury he does. *Wesselski Bebel II 115 No. 48. |
| J1263.4.2 | Man calls Saints Peter and Paul fools for enduring poverty if rich abbots can reach heaven, too. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1263.5 | Clergy in no need of spectacles. Many do not pray at all, many know their prayers by heart, and the great prelates look through their fingers *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 514. |
| J1263.6 | Choosing his confessor. Ruler explains: "I want a lying priest so that if he repeats my confession he will not be believed." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1263.7 | Confession made easy. Peasant sees priest at work in the fields. Tells him he wishes to confess. He is told to put money in the box and take the same penance as the year before. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1264 | Repartee concerning clerical incontinence. |
| J1264.1 | The church his wife. Priest accused of being too intimate with parishioners' wives says that the church is his wife and that the men treat her far more shamefully than he treats any woman. Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft *253 No. 96. |
| J1264.2 | Celibacy at the altar. Monk says, "I vowed three things: poverty in the bath, obedience at the table, and celibacy at the altar." *Wesselski Bebel II 133 No. 100. |
| J1264.3 | Father wears a crown but is no king. Priest's son is thus taunted. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 161. |
| J1264.4 | During the silent period. Nun asked why she did not call for help when raped. She says, "It was during the silent period." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 716. |
| J1264.5 | Youth says he is associating with a pious person. He has nun as mistress. (Cf. J1161.5.) Wesselski *Bebel I 191 No. 58. |
| J1264.6 | Nun claims her child is by the Holy Ghost. Defense accepted. Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft *218 No. 6. |
| J1264.7 | Multiplying his talents. Priest is entrusted with reforming five dissolute nuns. Gets all five with child. The priest is rebuked for not using his "talents" when tempted. He answers: "God gave me five talents and I have added five more!" (Pun on word talent.) Nouvelles Récréations No. 4; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1264.8 | Unequal returns. Man at his lady's funeral says to priest: "You enjoy them when they are young and then give them to us to bury. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1264.9 | Abbess has twenty-four nuns for twelve monks: twelve nuns therefore for the guests. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 65. |
| J1265 | Repartee based on church government. |
| J1265.1 | Like Christ on Palm Sunday. Bishop has parson to dinner in the seat of honor. The parson fears that the dinner precedes punishment. Parson: "Don't let me be like Christ on Palm Sunday in Jerusalem" *Wesselski Arlotto I 173 No. 2. |
| J1265.2 | Priest offers to exchange places with the bishop when he is told that he is unfit to care for his parish. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 78. |
| J1265.3 | The same company of fools. An abbot calls the monks together and asks, "Whom from all you fools can I appoint as steward?" A monk answers, "That should not be difficult since an abbot was found from the same company of fools." Wesselski Bebel II 119 No. 58. |
| J1269 | Repartee based on church or clergy—miscellaneous. |
| J1269.1 | The parson's share and the sexton's. During the sermon the parson bids the sexton see if anyone is coming. The sexton: "A man is coming with a wheel on his shoulder"—Parson: "God gives it to you." — Sexton: "Now a man is coming with half a hog on his shoulder." — Parson: "God gives it to me." Type 1829*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1829*. |
| J1269.2 | Man absents self from church because he does not like to hear people slandered. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 797. |
| J1269.3 | Would be first in all things. Chaplain accused of being first to start all knavery thus defends himself. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 56. |
| J1269.4 | Scolding priest says he is merely trying to get even for all the scolding he must undergo. Wesselski Bebel I 161 No. 96. |
| J1269.5 | Transmutation of the quail. Bishop brought quail on Friday orders them cooked. Blamed. If he can turn bread into the body of the Lord why can he not turn quail into fish? Frey (ed. Bolte) 247 No. 85; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 100; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1269.6 | The capon and the hen. Bishop refuses a favor to an abbess on the ground that he does not love her. Abbess: "I can well believe that. The capon never loves the hen." Wesselski Mönchslatein No. 59; Mensa Philosophica No. 115. |
| J1269.7 | Praying before the King of Kings. Man while praying refuses to salute superior. While standing before the King of Kings he could not show respect to inferiors. Gaster Exempla 194 No. 45; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 617. |
| J1269.8 | Robber's defense for stealing from rich. God will not permit them to enter heaven unless we take their ill-gotten goods from them. *Wesselski Bebel II 142 No. 131. |
| J1269.9 | Who bore the Savior on his back? (St. Christopher.) Parishioner: "The ass, for he bore both the son and his mother." Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft 245 No. 81. |
| J1269.10 | Mice die of hunger. Complaints against underpaid priest that he does not stay at home. Says he cannot stay at home for the mice are dying of hunger since he receives only forty florins a year. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 773. |
| J1269.11 | Their own quarters need it more. Such is the answer given monks who insist that quarters occupied by the king and his train be reconsecrated. Wesselski Bebel I 189 No. 53. |
| J1269.12 | Youth announces fire in imitation of priest's metaphorical language. The fire set by cat's tail gains headway. Nouvelles Récréations No. 21. |
| J1269.13 | Cannot leave court of God: reply of saint when king invites him to court. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1270 | Repartee concerning the parentage of children. |
| J1271 | Eunuch visits augurer to see whether he is to be a father. "When I look at the livers, you are to be a father. When I look at you, I see that you are not even a man." Wienert FFC LVI 40; Babrius No. 54. |
| J1272 | The gift of the fool. Of three brothers the shoemaker makes shoes for the queen and princess; the tailor, clothes; the fool—children. Type 1548*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 654A. |
| J1273 | Children by day and by night. Artist paints beautiful children but his own are ugly. One kind, he says, are made by day, the other by night. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No 412; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1274 | His father has been in Rome. A young man comes to Rome who looks like the emperor. Latter asks him if he mother has ever been in Rome. No, but my father has been here often. (Not son but brother.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 502; Mensa Philosophica No. 3; Nouvelles Récréations No. 15; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1276 | The child born too soon. |
| J1276.1 | Child born one month after marriage. Father-in-law to son-in-law: "Do like my grandson and you will always be ahead of others." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1276.2 | Too much for his income. Child born two months after marriage. Husband returns wife to her father (uncle) saying: "I can't afford a child every two months." Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1276.2.1 | Child born on wedding night. Groom leaves. Can't afford a child every time he lies with his wife. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 29; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1279 | Repartee regarding the parentage of children—miscellaneous. |
| J1279.1 | Plea for a good father. Mother of twelve on deathbed explains to family that not all her children are legitimate. Gives the paternity of each child. Youngest leaves his food to say: "Please, mother, give me a good father!" (Cf. J325.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1279.2 | Even God can overdo it! Returning sailor finds his hovel transformed into a fine house. "Where does all this come from?" Wife: "God's bounty." Illegitimate child greets mother. Same question, same answer. Sailor: "I don't want God to help me so much!" Italian Novella: *Rotunda |
| J1279.3 | Suitor hesitates to marry girl as immature (or too delicate). Girl's father protests, saying that she has had three children. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1279.4 | In numbers there is strength. The children of the Genoese are strong because there is more help. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1280 | Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.). |
| J1281 | "If I were a tyrant you would not say so." Answer made by emperor to one who calls him a tyrant. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 733; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1282 | Trickster chooses his gift. To be rewarded by ruler with a coin, an ass, a sheep, or a vineyard. Answers that he will take the coin, mount the ass, drive the sheep into the vineyard, and there pray for the ruler. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 237 No. 523. |
| J1283 | Gifts from the brothers. A king gives a man a coin. "Is that all you give your brother?" "Are you my brother?" "Surely, we both pray, Our father, etc." "If all your brothers give you as much as I you will be rich." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 517. |
| J1284 | Do not leave it to your successor. A widow stops a ruler on his way to war. He may be killed and he should not leave the act of justice as a credit to his successor. *Chauvin VIII 204 No. 246; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1284.1 | Show me how it is done. Wronged woman thus addresses ruler, who is indifferent to insults directed at him. She wishes to be shown how to bear insults. This rebukes him. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1284.2 | Cease being a king. A widow asks justice of a king. The latter says that he is too busy to hear her. "Then cease being a king," replies the widow. Her bold reply wins an audience with the king. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1285 | Against his will. A thief condemned to the gallows tells the king, "I do what you do and it is against my will." King: "You shall also be hanged against your will." *Basset 1001 Contes I 507. |
| J1286 | His proper title. A peasant goes to a judge and thinking to gain his favor addresses him with high titles. The judge calls him a fool. "I was mistaken, you swine!" *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 262 No. 223. |
| J1289 | Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.)—miscellaneous. |
| J1289.1 | Not a locksmith. A judge asks a pseudo-prophet to prove his powers by opening a difficult lock. "I am a prophet, not a locksmith." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 258 No. 198. |
| J1289.2 | Bishop and prince. Peasant tells bishop, who rides by with forty horses, that he wonders if St. Kilian at Würzburg is also riding with forty horses. Bishop excuses extravagance by saying that he is also a prince and that it is the prince, not the bishop, who is using the horses. "If the prince should become a fool, what would the bishop do then?" Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 158. |
| J1289.3 | Will not try to correct them. Pope calls persistent courtier a fool. Latter says that there are people who call the pope the same thing and that he for one will not try to correct them. Frey (ed. Bolte) 222 No. 17. |
| J1289.4 | The needy philosopher. Philosopher asks ruler for money Ruler says that philosophers do not need money. Philosopher: "If I am rewarded, I will say that you are right; I will no longer need money." Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1289.5 | Wearing all his clothes. Shivering king (rich man) to tattered peasant: "Aren't you cold?" Peasant: "No, if you wore all your clothes as I do, you wouldn't be cold either!" Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1289.6 | The prince's excuse. King to son who has been accused of rape: "I never did anything like that." Prince: "Your father was not king!" King: "Your son will never be one if you keep that up!" Spanish: Childers; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1289.7 | Shoemaker speaks ill of lord's rule. Lord takes his tools away from him. Shoemaker begs for them saying that he cannot carry on his business without them. Ruler: "I thought ruling was your business so I took your tools to learn shoemaking." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1289.8 | One ear saved for other litigant. Judge stops up one ear while first litigant presents his case. He is saving one ear for the second litigant. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1289.9 | Seek harmony in your own house. King brought to sense of duty by philosopher who tells him to seek harmony in his own house before inquiring about the harmony in his kingdom. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1289.10 | King cannot destroy the city. A philosopher of the city came to him asking mercy for it King said he would do nothing he asked. Philosopher then asked him to destroy the city. This saves the city. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1289.11 | Man, fined for sabbath-breaking, asks for receipt, explains that if God asks for it, he will not have to journey to hell to get it from the judge. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1289.12 | Man is arrested for drunkenness; he is so drunk that trial must be postponed. When he is tried later, he is told how at the earlier trial he had kept repeating that the judge was a very wise judge. When he hears this he admits that he must have been very drunk. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1289.13 | Weaver hearing of tax for every doorway of weavers takes his door to the khan: will not return for the sidewalls of his house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.14 | Gem offered by monarch to one who can first go around the kingdom. Trickster goes around king and says king is kingdom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.15 | Thief serves king buffaloes he has killed in hunt and lost; thus reproaches king's wastefulness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.16 | Hairless palms from giving and receiving gold. Jester flatters prince for bounty. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.17 | Emperor: "What people have the biggest bellies?" Jester answers: "The landlords." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.18 | Holy man asked by king for the heart of religion answers: "You are sitting on your throne and I'm sitting on the ground, so how can I tell." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.19 | Tailor caught resting his head on royal robe while he rests tells king there is no better resting place for king's robe, for "the head is the king of the body." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.20 | King to smoker: "Even donkeys will have nothing to do with tobacco." Smoker: "Donkeys don't know how to enjoy themselves." India: Thompson-Balys. |
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